Friday, July 22, 2011

two thoughts over morning coffee

1) When I talk to people about coffee, and the things I taste in coffee, they assume this palate was cultivated during my childhood. And they are correct. My dad survives on a diet of granola bars, packaged crackers, and the occasional Whopper jr. or Double Cheeseburger. This is washed down with a few liters of Diet Coke, which is served warm in the morning, and all winter. It isn't hard to draw the line between being raised in such a taste-conscious environment, and the palate I discuss today when I talk about the nuances in a cup of coffee.

2) The morning cup of coffee is what jolts our senses into daily routine. It is what gradually stirs us to move forward into our day. Such a cup of coffee should not be taken lightly. It is the ship which guides us to our next shores; all it takes to ensure the voyage is filled with wonder is a grinder, freshly roasted beans, and a method of brewing which ensures regulation of temperature. I'm not going to belabor the point of why these three things are important, but if you think coffee is a bitter brew, then you are missing a key step among those three. And missing a step will cause your morning voyage to be windy and cold, fraught with peril. That's not how I want to enter my days.